Chapter 200 Epiphany, Hunter and Prey

Xia Nan rarely moved through the Misty Forest at night.

From the very beginning of his transmigration, his experiences in the Ragtag Party and the repeated warnings of his teammates had etched one concept deeply into his mind: the Misty Forest was extremely dangerous at night.

Even though he had attained a Class Level and accumulated more life-saving trump cards, he still adhered to this rule—one forged by countless adventurers at the cost of their lives.

Now, compelled by the requirements of the quest, he had to venture out of the camp at night.

Xia Nan pushed his vigilance to a hundred and twenty percent.

His attention was highly focused, his Perception gathering formlessly.

Grasping the Decapitating Longsword tightly with both hands, he tensed his body slightly. With a single thought, he could unleash either [Fang Hunt] or the Deathline ring's "Deflection Field" at a moment's notice.

Perhaps because his Perception was far sharper than before, he had gained a deeper understanding of the Misty Forest under the veil of night.

First was the quiet.

It was not an absolute, dead silence; in a way, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call the sources of sound "numerous."

The rustling of branches and leaves in the evening breeze, the overlapping, rising chirps of strange insects, the occasional flutter of wings above the canopy, the roars of unknown beasts from afar...

Yet it was exactly against the backdrop of these noises that the surrounding environment felt even more deeply tranquil.

Then, there was the darkness.

The Sea Thorn Squad had prepared a light source—a lantern carried by Cash.

It came from a general store in Rivervale Town with a fairly good reputation.

On the road, right after they left Rivervale Town and before they entered the Misty Forest, Xia Nan had seen with his own eyes how the bright light scattering from the lantern's inner cover illuminated almost half the camp around them.

But now, the thick fog filling the air ruthlessly suppressed that light—which should have brought them a sense of visibility and safety—into an extremely cramped space.

It couldn't even clearly illuminate the bushes on either side, only revealing patches of blurry outlines.

The only thing to be thankful for was that Xia Nan's Perception had been greatly enhanced. Even though it was hindered by the gray fog, his sensory range was still much larger than before.

This brought a bit more reassurance to his heart.

As for smells...

He could only say that the masking powder Cash had specifically sprinkled on everyone before departure worked both ways.

Other creatures couldn't catch their human scent, and all that remained in Xia Nan's nose was the rich, clean fragrance of pine resin.

They advanced carefully through the dark, dense forest.

Unlike their marching formation during the day, the Sea Thorn Squad's formation had distinctly changed.

Mint was still protected in the very center.

As the party's Spellcaster, healer, and controller, her melee capabilities were rather weak, and she lacked any sturdy defensive skills.

As the core of the team, it was only natural for the others to keep her safely inside their formation.

Cash, grasping his spear, walked at the very front.

But trailing just half a step behind him was Veris, the "Rogue" who should normally be prowling along the party's flanks.

Her dark elf origins—her Drow bloodline—granted this tall half-elf night vision far exceeding that of ordinary humans. She was needed at the front of the party to scout the path and watch for danger.

As for Xia Nan, he brought up the rear.

Over their few days of interaction, the impression he had left on them was that of a Warrior with quick reflexes, good Perception, and a talent for close-quarters combat.

He was also the only person in the party besides Cash who wore medium armor.

With this in mind, having him watch their backs not only guarded against enemies flanking them, but also allowed him to promptly support his teammates in times of danger, providing a certain margin for error.

Xia Nan naturally had no objections.

In fact, he was quite happy with the arrangement.

At least this way, compared to walking at the front, he didn't have to worry about his teammates turning on him and stabbing him in the back.

This was Xia Nan's first time formally partying up with Class Grade teammates for an adventure.

Setting aside the little schemes hidden in everyone's hearts, the overall experience was fairly good.

At least in his eyes, the members of the Sea Thorn Squad all possessed the professional qualities that Class Holders ought to have.

Walking at the back of the line, he could clearly see that the people ahead maintained a high level of vigilance, but they weren't so nervous that they panicked like ordinary adventurers.

Everyone did exactly what they were supposed to do.

Even the frail girl "Mint," who might have been expected to lack experience, gripped her Yew Staff—which looked much like an ordinary branch—and walked calmly in the center of the formation.

Considering her "Druid" background, an environment like this might even be her home turf.

Yes... this was completely normal.

The swaying orange light at the front of the party reflected in his pitch-black eyes.

Xia Nan's gaze swept seamlessly over Mint, landing briefly on the backs of Veris and Cash.

Thoughts swirled in his mind.

Hunting the "Temple Nightwalker Wolf," and the quests they might take on later, were not the reasons those two had come to Rivervale Town.

According to them, they had come to Rivervale Town pursuing a target they'd been tracking along the way.

Stopping here was only because they suspected the beast riots in the forest might be connected to that target.

Only then had they sought out temporary teammates and accepted commissions, trying to trace the target through the quest information provided by the Association.

The two didn't seem to want to reveal too much, and Xia Nan couldn't be bothered to get involved, so he hadn't probed deeper.

Anyway, they had already agreed to help him complete his quest regarding the "Lycanthrope."

As long as he could get his hands on the metal materials needed to upgrade his Snake-Scale Arm Shield, he didn't care about any other messy business.

Buzz—

The wooden sword on his back, [Azure Pine], suddenly transmitted a familiar sense of warmth.

Xia Nan's footsteps abruptly halted.

Since he always maintained vigilance over their surroundings, his sudden movement was instantly noticed by his three teammates ahead.

The advancing squad subsequently stopped in their tracks.

"Hiss..."

Before anyone could ask what was wrong, a dense, inconspicuous bush not far ahead suddenly swayed, as if detecting their presence.

Accompanied by a fleeting glimpse of colorful scales illuminated by the lantern light and a distinct serpentine hiss, the disturbance quickly faded into the distance.

The warmth on his back gradually dissipated. Xia Nan stared in the direction the venomous snake had vanished and gently shook his head.

"It's nothing, let's keep going," he said.

Only then did the others breathe a sigh of relief.

But right at that moment—

Awooo—

A short, shrill, and bizarre wolf howl echoed through the night once more.

And compared to before, the sound was much clearer.

They were obviously not far away.

Cash's expression turned grave, and he waved to the people behind him.

Looking around cautiously, he lowered his voice and said, "They're close. Everyone, get ready!"

...

Naturally, the Sea Thorn Squad wasn't going to force their way through such a complex and dangerous environment, braving the night and the fog-filled forest to actively hunt down such a deadly and powerful wolf pack.

The most significant difference between humans and beasts was their level of intelligence and their ability to use tools.

After confirming the pack was close, the squad stopped advancing.

Instead, they stayed where they were and began to set up.

First, naturally, came various traps.

Trap mechanisms from Rivervale Town—recently quite popular and specifically designed for large beasts—were deftly placed in the narrow path between two trees, inside rock crevices, and beneath fallen leaves.

To restrict the wolves' movements, a few simple snares made of vines, ropes, and branches were also set up in the surrounding area.

Next was a palm-sized cloth pouch that Cash had buried deep in his backpack, protected and hidden beneath layers of oak boxes and oilskin bags.

The moment Cash carefully took it out, everyone present caught an extremely pungent stench of blood mixed with rot.

This was a scent bait specifically used to attract carnivores, which they had purposely purchased before coming here.

The setup was carefully completed.

Cash went around sprinkling a bit more masking powder on everyone. Only then did he follow the original plan, leading them up a few towering oak trees near the bait.

Between the pitch-black night, the thick fog, and the lush canopy, hiding up there made it incredibly difficult to spot their figures amongst the dense foliage, even if someone were standing directly below and looking straight up.

As long as they didn't actively make any noise, there was basically no chance of exposure.

His chest rising and falling slightly, Xia Nan controlled his breathing, making it slower and longer.

He crouched in a half-squat, his left hand resting lightly on the tree trunk beside him to maintain his center of gravity.

The heavy iron armor and the two longswords on his back made his posture look a bit awkward.

But his leather boots planted on the thick branch were exceptionally steady.

The formless effect of his Class Feat, [Tidal Stabilization], kept him firmly rooted to the spot like an iron nail, utterly motionless.

He waited quietly.

The cold evening breeze brushed his cheeks, carrying the foul stench of the bait and the pine resin aroma of the powder in the air.

Xia Nan's gaze pierced through the gaps in the leaves, staring down at the completely still forest floor.

His body didn't move an inch.

For some reason, at this moment, he suddenly recalled the time he had learned [Fang Hunt] from Forgan.

The Winter Wolf from the depths of the Ice Plains, crawling through the snow, blending its massive silhouette into nature as it patiently waited for its prey to approach.

It was as if, formlessly, that image merged with his own figure right now.

The branches and leaves swaying in the wind, the nameless flying insects rising and falling under the moonlight, the long and slow breathing that had nearly vanished, his attention focused to the absolute limit...

A subtle sensation rose in his heart, and an inexplicable comprehension surfaced in his mind.

"[Proficiency +5]"

"[[Fang Hunt] lv3: (39/100)]"

Translucent text flashed before his eyes.

Xia Nan couldn't help but freeze, snapping out of that special state.

'What does this mean? It directly added 5 proficiency points!?' he thought in astonishment.

Regarding the proficiency points that determined the upgrade progress of combat techniques, Xia Nan had previously believed they could only be accumulated slowly through daily training and practical use in battle.

But the proficiency he had gained back in the Nym Moon Goddess Church after observing the structure of a divine spell through [Heart-Guided Vision] had made Xia Nan realize: "Proficiency" might not just represent its literal meaning.

It was a blanket term for some broader, grander concept.

To a certain extent, it also seemed to represent one's own level of comprehension of a combat technique.

And his experience just now cemented that hypothesis in his mind.

Savoring the wondrous experience of that fleeting moment, he smacked his lips silently.

'Is this considered some kind of... "epiphany"?'

Squatting in the canopy, Xia Nan focused his attention once more, trying to enter that profound state again.

But no matter how he tried, there was no reaction.

Realizing that this kind of opportunity could only be stumbled upon and not sought out, he stopped wasting his mental energy. He simply etched that beautiful momentary experience into his heart and returned to reality.

He didn't know if something had gone wrong somewhere along the line.

By the time the silver moon hung high overhead, the inexplicable strange noises in the forest had only multiplied.

Yet the forest floor below, littered with a massive number of traps, remained completely devoid of activity.

It was already past midnight.

If they waited any longer, the danger would increase exponentially.

Cash made a few hand signals, gesturing for them to retreat temporarily and continue tomorrow night.

He then leapt nimbly from the canopy, dropping lightly to the ground.

"This is really bizarre," Cash muttered in confusion as he packed up the traps.

"Could it be that kid in the general store took a kickback and sold me defective goods?"

"That shouldn't be right. Didn't everyone say their reputation was pretty good?"

Nearby, Mint stifled a gentle yawn, though she didn't relax her vigilance. She gripped her branch-like staff, keeping watch over their surroundings.

Veris didn't look tired at all, but a hint of complaint surfaced on her face. "I told you we should have gone to the general stores recommended in the Adventure Manual. For this kind of thing, it doesn't matter if it's a little more expensive."

"You've been out here this long, and you still don't know the shady tricks behind the Manual?" Cash carefully picked the bait up off the ground and put it back into the oilskin bag. "If I had connections in the Association, I could open any random shop and get it listed!"

"There are only a few genuinely honest ones."

"Whether it's Rivervale Town or Barracuda Bay, it's all the same!"

Xia Nan remained silent. While keeping his guard up, his gaze swept over the scent bait in Cash's hands.

As if realizing something, he suddenly frowned.

He asked, "That bait of yours isn't just for night wolves, is it?"

"Of course!" Cash nodded. "Baboons, vultures, striped tigers, cave bears... as long as they eat meat, it works."

"And since we're right near the wolf pack, nothing more dangerous will be drawn in."

"But we've been standing guard here for most of the night. If your bait really hasn't expired, there shouldn't have been absolutely zero movement, right?"

The moment the words left his mouth, Cash also realized the problem, and he immediately froze.

A second later, he was tightly gripping his gray stone spear.

"On guard!!!"

His low roar echoed across the clearing in an instant.

The traps that hadn't yet been fully disarmed lay quietly on the ground;

The air was filled with the distinct rotting stench of the carnivorous bait.

The roles of hunter and prey

seemed to have reversed in a single moment.